Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground vaccination site has started to offer appointments for booster vaccinations.

People who are eligible for a booster vaccination in the Harrogate district can now log onto the NHS booking service site for appointments in December.

Yorkshire Health Network, an organisation which represents GP practices in the district, confirmed on its social media channels today that clinics will be held from Monday next week.

Although Harrogate is the largest place in the Harrogate district, it has not had a vaccine site since the summer, forcing residents to travel to  Knaresborough, Ripon and Pateley Bridge, or further afield to Leeds or York.

The showground site is due to reopen for just two weeks as part of the ongoing rollout of booster vaccinations. However, it is unclear if it will continue beyond that period.

The site closed in August after being used to administer covid jabs for most of the year.

A North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group spokesperson said previously: 

“Plans are in place to run pop-up covid vaccination clinics at the Yorkshire Showground at the beginning of December for two weeks, as this is when we are anticipating a peak in the number of patients eligible to receive their booster jabs.”

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The government announced yesterday that vaccinations will be offered to all adults over-18 and the gap between a second dose and booster will be cut to three months.

However, the NHS is currently still only offering appointments to over-40s. The NHS has advised people to wait to be contacted for their booster appointment.

The move comes as 17.8 million booster vaccines have been given nationally, according to government data.

No figures are currently available for the number given in the Harrogate district.

Data analysed by the Stray Ferret shows the impact of the covid vaccine in reducing the number of deaths related to the virus at Harrogate District Hospital.

Since December 2020, when the National Health Service embarked on the biggest vaccination rollout in the UK, more than 120,000 people in the Harrogate district have had at least two jabs.

The data shows the number of patients dying at Harrogate District Hospital has declined significantly as the vaccine rollout has taken place.

As shown in the graph below, the number of daily deaths at the hospital from covid peaked in February 2021 at seven. No more than three deaths have been recorded on any one day in recent months despite the highest infections rates since covid began.

The graph also reveals there was a noticeably higher number of deaths overall in the first two waves than in recent months.

The number of covid vaccinations since December 2020 in the Harrogate district. Data: UK Government. Graph: the Stray Ferret.

The peak of daily deaths came at a time when the vaccine rollout was picking up pace and a national lockdown had been imposed due to soaring covid cases.

Around that time, the district hospital was dealing with a peak of 68 covid inpatients, compared to 22 today.

The following months saw no deaths reported for several weeks in line with the vaccine rollout and restrictions imposed.

Once restrictions were lifted in July, the hospital started to report new covid fatalities — but higher vaccination levels led to a much lower death rate.

The daily covid cases in the Harrogate district since the start of the pandemic. Data: UK Government. Graph: the Stray Ferret.

Since March 2020, the hospital has recorded a total of 197 deaths.

The waning of the effect of covid jabs has seen the government start to rollout booster vaccines for those over-40.

High covid cases and booster vaccines

The number of covid cases has increased dramatically in recent months.

Daily infections peaked in October and have flatlined into November.

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Even so, the number of covid patients at Harrogate District Hospital has still not reached anywhere near the high set in February.

The data on vaccinations and deaths comes as booster vaccines have started to be offered to people across the district.

Walk-in centres have been operating in Leeds and York for those who are eligible for a jab.

However, data on the number of people who have taken up booster vaccines in the Harrogate district is so far unavailable.

As of Monday, 13.1 million people across the UK have had booster vaccinations.

About 10 people took part in a demonstration against covid vaccines at a roundabout in Harrogate today.

The group held placards alongside the Prince of Wales roundabout from about 1pm to 3pm.

It is part of a national movement called Rebels on Roundabouts, which co-ordinates similar anti-vaccine protests at roundabouts across the country.

A Rebels on Roundabouts website says it believes ‘the virus has been ruthlessly exploited by a global elite through their puppet politicians and mainstream media’ and is a ‘scapegoat for the inevitable upcoming collapse of the scam economy’.

Those taking part held up signs saying ‘how may vaccines are you going to have before you question it?’. ‘why vaccinate teens?’ and ‘this is not about a virus’.

 A participant from Harrogate, who asked not to be named, said the event was organised by people from Leeds and Otley.

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The Harrogate district has reported 111 cases of covid, according to Public Health England figures.

The district’s 7-day average case rate is 454 per 100,000 people, which is the third-highest rate in North Yorkshire.

Across the county, the average rate is 417 and the England average is 341.

No further deaths from patients who tested positive for coronavirus have been recorded at Harrogate District Hospital, according to NHS England figures.

Since the pandemic began 197 people have died with covid at the hospital.

Read more:

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Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. See below for details on how to contribute.

Vaccine protestors should grow up

These parents are stupid and putting their children’s lives at risk. We were all lined up at school in the 60’s for our BCGs and polio vaccines, which I am forever grateful for.

They should grow up and consider the more dangerous aspect of drug use in Harrogate than these vaccinations.

Susan Mitchell, Harrogate

Harrogate is a car park

Perhaps Harrogatonians are so used to it that they see this as normal? It’s not. And it’s awful. There would be plenty of space for all – whether they wish to sit, walk, run, scoot, cycle or even drive – if we clear up the parking. For the brief period that James Street ceased being a car park it was a pleasure to negotiate. Yes there were still cars going down the middle however they were a minor inconvenience compared to the car park down both sides. At least we pedestrians could easily see the moving cars, and them us.

Cold Bath Road is horrendous because of the parking. Yes the moving cars aren’t great, but actually we’d all manage ok if the parking rights were removed. The street would buzz with life at the shops, bars, cafes and restaurants on both sides.
I cycle around Harrogate. I have been knocked off my bike once. Not by a moving car. By the driver of a parked car opening his door into my bicycle.

Living in a car park is no fun. I will move away when I can. To a town or city that isn’t a car park. Even in this country, they do exist.

Ruth Ker, Harrogate

Proportional Representation is a fairer system 

The government has now introduced a new clause into the Elections Bill to remove a form of Proportional Representation (PR) from Mayoral elections in England in favour of the archaic system of First Past the Post (FPTP). The reason commonly given is “it works well”. It works well for who? For their party! Under FPTP a “majority” can amount to one vote. If voter turnout is low, that “majority” can be as low as 16% (e.g. Harrogate Bilton by-election 2021). To my mind this is a “lose”. How can it be a win? What post are we talking about?

Under a fair voting system, seats equal votes. It is common sense. Each seat should broadly equal the same number of votes. I am shocked to see democracy in England slither down the drain like this. In North Yorkshire the Conservatives would still probably hold a majority, but debates on policy would be richer and better informed if the views of voters from all parties were heard. The new North Yorkshire mayoral elections in 2023 would benefit from a richer more inclusive discourse rather than one party’s ideas only. PR is shown to work well in Scotland, Wales, current mayoral elections and in most modern democratic nations. So what reason could possibly hold for not using a fair voting system in mayoral elections, including North Yorkshire’s? Cllr Les recently stated on your website that the new single council authority should be accountable, inclusive and locally representative. Perhaps he could make this point to his party.

Louise Mauborgne, Glasshouses 

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Around 20 parents linked arms outside St Aidan’s Church of England High School today to protest against giving children aged 12-15 the covid vaccine.

Children will be able to get their first shot of the vaccine from next week, the government has confirmed.

It follows advice from all four of the UK’s chief medical officers, who said offering vaccinations to children would reduce disruption in schools.

Evidence suggests a single dose cuts the risk of catching covid by around 55%. However, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises the government, recommended not vaccinating children on health grounds alone.

One parent at the protest today said she disagreed with the government’s decision not to follow the JVCI’s recommendation. The woman accused the government of “brainwashing” children to take the jab.

She said:

“We are concerned for our children.”

Another protestor added:

“Our hearts are broken.

“We maintain the vaccinations are nothing to do with health”.

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Groups of curious sixth formers stood outside their classrooms to watch, and some approached the protestors to ask why they were there. Two police officers also attended the scene.

Afterwards, the Stray Ferret was contacted by mother Charlotte Castle, who has a child in the sixth form at St Aidan’s. She said she was “furious” at the protestors, who she called “idiots”.

She added:

“The arrogance that these parents know more than 99.9% of world’s viralogists. These people live in echo chambers. They are misinformed.”

The Knaresborough vaccine clinic is moving to larger premises in the town to provide both covid vaccine boosters and flu jabs.

The clinic will relocate to Chain Lane Community Hub from September 27 where it hopes to offer up to 1,500 vaccinations a day.

It will administer first and second doses of the covid vaccine to anyone over 16, plus covid booster jabs and flu jabs.

The current site, at the former Lidl, has been in use since February but with winter approaching Homecare Pharmacy Services, which runs the clinics, wanted a larger space where people could wait indoors.

The new site will be operated in collaboration with Chain Lane Community Hub and Knaresborough Connectors.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises UK health departments on immunisation, today recommended over-50s be given booster jabs.

Jason Baskind, managing director of Homecare Pharmacy Services, said:

“We knew we needed a larger site with space for older people to wait indoors. The Lidl site has been great but we felt for the winter, outdoor observation wasn’t suitable.”

Mr Baskind added the company was waiting to hear whether flu vaccines and boosters could be offered at the same time or if there needed to be a gap.

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The vaccine centre will take over two rooms at the Chain Lane Community Hub.

Sue Vasey, from Chain Lane Community Hub, said:

“In these difficult times we wanted to ensure that the hub played as active a role as possible in responding to the needs of the local community, and our ability to provide this service for Knaresborough, in spacious and accessible surroundings with ample parking felt an important thing to do.

“This does not mean Chain Lane will be closed to community use though. Derwent Room will continue to host the wide range of valued activities”

The site will continue to offer all Pfizer, Astra-Zeneca and Moderna vaccines.

There are only two vaccine centres remaining in the district; Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge.

Vaccination volunteer marshals from across Nidderdale and the Washburn Valley came to Pateley Bridge for a ‘Thank You Lunch’ organised by Nidderdale Plus Community Hub.

Since the beginning of the year, the charity has been coordinating volunteers from the area to go to the mass vaccination sites in Harrogate and Ripon by bus.

Now that the two sites have closed, over 50 of the 90 volunteers attended Memorial Hall in Pateley Bridge on August 1 to enjoy a covid-safe, afternoon-tea-in-a-box that had been freshly made by the Nidderdale Way Cafe at Studfold.

Helen Flynn, executive director at Nidderdale Plus said,

“Now that the mass sites in Harrogate and Ripon have closed we did not want to lose the opportunity to thank all our wonderful volunteer marshals who came from all over Nidderdale and Washburn Valley to help in the current crisis.”

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The vaccine site at Memorial Hall in Pateley Bridge remains open for vaccinations, as does the former Lidl site in Knaresborough.

Both sites have been offering walk-in vaccines at weekends for people who have not had their first or second jab yet.

There has not been an announcement if any new vaccine sites will reopen in the Harrogate district to coincide with the expected round of booster vaccines later this year.

Knaresborough’s coronavirus vaccine centre is ramping up its walk-in clinics as it prepares to host a total of 21 in August.

The programme starts tomorrow, when the centre will be open between 8am and 3pm. From Wednesday to Saturday the centre will be open between 8am and 5pm.

That will be the same all month. The centre will be open most days in the week between 8am and 5pm except for Mondays and Sundays.

While appointments are still available, the option to “grab a jab” by just turning up has made a difference for the vaccine centre.

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Jason Baskind, of Homecare Pharmacy Services which runs the site, told the Stray Ferre:

“We are getting a lot coming in for the walk-in sessions. I would say on average around 100 extra people turn up without an appointment.

“By around mid September we should have given everyone over 18 who wants a jab both doses of the coronavirus vaccine.

“Shortly after that we expect to be starting the booster programme. So that would make things easier.”

As of yesterday, the Harrogate district has given out 104,995 second doses and 123,009 first doses according to government figures.

Knaresborough’s vaccination centre is set to open its first walk-in clinic this weekend where people will not need an appointment.

The site at the former Lidl supermarket on York Road will be open between 9am and 1pm tomorrow with 400 Pfizer-Biontech vaccines available.

It will only be open to those who are yet to have their first jab. Only those who are over 18 are currently eligible.

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Homecare Pharmacy Service already has plans for another walk-in clinic next weekend, when it will have 2,300 Moderna jabs available. It hopes to hold more in future.

People can still book appointments during a walk-in clinic, which means they will be guaranteed a vaccine.

Jason Baskind, of Homecare Pharmacy Services, told the Stray Ferret:

“We are really excited to hold our first walk-in clinic. The way the whole vaccine programme has gone has been great.

“This weekend is going to be a momentous moment for the country, so why not make it more special and get a jab?

“It is quite likely that we will have queues so make sure to dress appropriately for the weather and be patient with our volunteers.”